10+ Leftover Hamburger Recipes You NEED to Try! - Shelf Cooking (2024)

If you cooked a few too many burgers for that weekend cookout, consider yourself lucky. These easy leftover hamburger recipes are the flipping best!

10+ Leftover Hamburger Recipes You NEED to Try! - Shelf Cooking (1)

‘Tis the season for grilling! And if your house is anything like ours, we bet your fridge is full of leftovers, too. When you're feeding a crowd, extras are inevitable!

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If you're looking for some creative ways to use those leftover burgers, you're in the right place! Sure, you could warm them up and eat them on a bun, but we think these leftover hamburger recipes are way more fun. Are you ready to do this?!

HOW LONG WILL LEFTOVER BURGERS STAY FRESH?

If you have leftover burgers, be sure to refrigerate them in an airtight bag or container, and they'll last up to four days. Prefer to freeze them? The same instructions apply, but they'll keep for two to three months when frozen.

When you're ready to eat those frozen burgers, you can defrost them overnight in the refrigerator or thaw them in the microwave before you heat them. By the way, you can freeze the buns, too! We have a whole post devoted to leftover hamburger buns, so check that out for tons more genius ideas. Now, ready to find some fun ways to use those leftover hamburgers?

3 LEFTOVER HAMBURGER RECIPES PERFECT FOR BREAKFAST

10+ Leftover Hamburger Recipes You NEED to Try! - Shelf Cooking (2)

You haven't lived until you've had a hamburger for breakfast! Here are three clever (and tasty) recipes we think you'll love:

  • Hamburger Omelet – Crumble up your meat and add it to an omelet! Mix and match the other fillings and use up what you've got.
  • Breakfast Burger – All you need is one fried egg to turn an average burger into a breakfast burger! Again, use up any extra toppings, too. Wehatewasting food around here.
  • Loco Moco – If you've ever been to Hawaii, then you know how good this dish is! Either way, you need to try this. Cook some white rice, top it with a warmed-up burger, then top that with a nice and runny fried egg. If you have some brown gravy, pour it on top, then serve and enjoy! No gravy? Don't sweat it. You could top yours with cheese instead.

For the record, if you want to skip the bacon and serve a bun-less burger on the side of your traditional breakfast, that's a fantastic idea, too!

SOUP & SALAD RECIPES

Ready for some lunch? It's soup and salad time! If you're looking for quick and easy lunch options, reach for those leftover hamburgers! Here are three recipes we think you'll love:

  • Potato Soup – Crumble a few leftover burgers and add them to this crockpot potato soup about 10-15 minutes before you plan to serve it. Voila! You've suddenly got cheeseburger potato soup. YUM!
  • Hamburger Salad – Who says chicken is the only meat that belongs on a salad?! Grab your greens, garnish with a sliced hardboiled egg, your favorite veggies, and some shredded cheese. Top with a burger patty, a yummy homemade vinaigrette, and garnish with croutons for a delicious, quick, and filling meal.
  • Chili – Using leftover burgers to make chili is one of the greatest life hacks! Just crumble up that meat and add it to your favorite chili recipe. We might be biased, but we think this crockpot chili is pretty dang good.

In general, soup is a perfect way to use leftover meat! Learn how to build your own soup using whatever ingredients you have on hand. Now, let's talk about dinner, eh?

4 LEFTOVER HAMBURGER RECIPES PERFECT FOR DINNERTIME

10+ Leftover Hamburger Recipes You NEED to Try! - Shelf Cooking (3)

Okay, if you're looking for a few new dinner ideas, these leftover hamburger recipes are just the ticket:

  • Beefy Mac ‘N Cheese – Elevate your boxed mac ‘n cheese, or make a batch of our creamy homemade macaroni and cheese. Crumble or slice your leftover burgers and add them to the mix for a filling, protein-packed dinner.
  • Hamburger Steaks – Sautee some onions and mushrooms and whip up a quick batch of gravy! (We won't judge you if you use the packet mix.) Add your leftover burgers to the pan with your onions and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side or until warmed through. Top with the gravy, then serve with rice or mashed potatoes and enjoy!
  • Pasta Bake – Crumble your leftover burgers and add them to this incredibly easy and delicious pasta bake.
  • Tacos – Turn your cookout leftovers into Taco Tuesday gold! You have to try these oven-baked tacos. Just use crumbled burgers in place of the ground beef.

If you opt for the tacos, make a quick batch of this cilantro lime rice! You won't be disappointed.

And just like that, you have ten easy ways to use those leftover hamburgers! You could make a weeks' worth of meals from your cookout extras, so don't you dare let a single burger go to waste.

What are some of your favorite leftover hamburger recipes? Leave a comment below and let us know!

10+ Leftover Hamburger Recipes You NEED to Try! - Shelf Cooking (4)

Looking for a few more ways to use up leftovers?

  • These leftover fruit ideas just might blow your mind!
  • And speaking of fruit, you have to try this fruit salsa recipe.
  • Last but not least, this chimichangas recipe is leftover gold, and it will rock your world!

You go, grill!

10+ Leftover Hamburger Recipes You NEED to Try! - Shelf Cooking (2024)

FAQs

How do you eat leftover burgers? ›

The Best Way To Reheat Burgers

Heat burgers at 350℉ for 7 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the center of the patty is hot. (It should register 165℉ in the center.) If adding cheese, do so in the last 1 to 2 minutes of cook time. Reassemble with your favorite condiments and enjoy.

What else can you do with burgers? ›

Use these genius hacks and delicious recipes to put leftover hamburger patties to good use any time you have them on hand.
  1. Leftover Hamburger Cheesy Pasta. ...
  2. Cottage Pie With Leftover Hamburger. ...
  3. Meaty Grilled Cheese aka the Best Patty Melt Ever. ...
  4. "Meatball" Sandwiches. ...
  5. Hamburger Steak With Gravy. ...
  6. Stuffed Peppers.
Apr 10, 2023

How long is leftover hamburger good for? ›

If it is refrigerated promptly (within two hours at room temperature; or one hour if surrounding temperature is above 90 °F), it can be safely kept for about three or four days stored in the refrigerator (40 F or less). If frozen, it should keep its quality for about four months.

How do you make leftover burgers juicy? ›

Grill. Reheating a hamburger patty on the grill is a great way to get that juicy, flavorful experience every time. The heat from the grill will help to caramelize the patty, giving it a nice, seared flavor. Plus, the added smokiness from the grill will really bring out the flavor of the patty.

Can you eat cooked hamburger that sat out all night? ›

Havern explains: "The maximum amount of time perishable foods can [spend] in the danger zone is two hours. At two hours, the food must be consumed, stored correctly, or thrown away. This includes all cooked leftovers, [chopped] fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products."

How can I make my burger more interesting? ›

Toppings can make or break a burger. We love homemade toppings like cranberry ketchup, mac n' cheese or spicy barbecue sauce paired with everyday condiments like cheese slices and crisp lettuce.

What is it called when you get a burger without a bun? ›

If it's just by itself on a plate, it's called a hamburger patty; if it's on a piece of bread with melted cheese, it's called a burger melt.

Is a 5 day old hamburger safe to eat? ›

Always ensure it reaches a safe internal temperature (160°F or 71°C) during cooking. Can you cook ground beef after 5 days? Cooking ground beef that has been refrigerated for up to 5 days can be safe if it has been stored at proper temperatures (below 40°F or 4°C) and shows no signs of spoilage.

Can I eat 5 day old cooked hamburger? ›

USDA recommends using cooked beef within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth.

Can I eat 5 day old leftovers? ›

Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.

Are burgers better in the air fryer or pan? ›

Each method resulted in a different-tasting burger.

And the grill produced a wonderfully charred burger that would be perfect for summer cookouts. But the air fryer just may become my new go-to way to cook burgers. We all enjoyed the way it preserved so many of the flavors, and the cleanup was incredibly simple.

Is it better to cook burgers in the oven or on the stove? ›

Is it better to cook burgers in the oven or on the stove? It's up to your personal preference! Baked burgers are a great, nearly hands-off cooking method that won't fill your kitchen with the smell of frying beef. Pan-fried burgers, on the other hand, have the benefit of a tasty sear from the cast-iron skillet.

Is it better to grill or pan fry burgers? ›

A skillet allows the patties to baste in their own juices as they cook. That's a huge improvement over losing all-important moisture to the spatters that cause annoying grilling flare-ups. Using the right beef is also key.

Is it OK to reheat a burger? ›

Sure, you can reheat cooked beef burgers but two things must be done: first, the burgers must have been refrigerated and not left out at room temperature and second, the burgers must be reheated sufficiently to raise the internal temperature to 165ºF to ensure they are safe.

Can you eat reheated burgers? ›

When reheating fully cooked patties or casseroles containing ground beef, be sure the internal temperature reaches 165 °F or it is hot and steaming.

Can you eat leftover hamburger meat? ›

USDA recommends using cooked beef within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days.

How do you reheat burgers without ruining them? ›

The Absolute Best Ways To Reheat A Burger. Preheat your oven to 400 F and then place the patty on a metal rack with a baking sheet underneath to catch any drippings. Heat the patty for three minutes, then flip it over, and let the other side warm up for about two minutes, depending on thickness.

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